When we last checked in on the upcoming third season of HBO's The Last of Us, Danny Ramirez (Top Gun: Maverick and Captain America: Brave New World), who played Manny, one of Abby's friends present at Joel's death, had to step away from the role due to scheduling conflicts (De Noche anyone?).
Now, the question of who would fill in the role for the final season has been answered, according to a report from Deadline.
Jorge Lendeborg Jr., best known for his roles in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Bumblebee, will be taking the reins and possibly the bullet by Tommy Miller, as the new Manny in The Last of Us season 3.
In addition to Lendeborg, The Last of Us also added Clea Duvall, best known for her work in Carnivàle, American Horror Story, and The Handmaid's Tale, to the cast for season 3. Duvall will be playing a Seraphite or Scar.
As we recall in The Last of Us season 2, the WLF (Wolves) and Scars (Seraphites) are at a vicious and brutal war with each other over control of Seattle. While little is known of both groups, we do learn that the Scars worship an unknown deceased woman they call The Prophet.
Could this be who Duvall is portraying in perhaps a stream of flashback sequences? With season 3 being the final season of the hit series based on the video games of the same name, solely focusing on Abby's backstory, we'd assume that some context will be provided on the WLF vs Scars war.
Considering that after the events at the Firefly hospital, Abby joins the WLF amongst her friends. By the time they find Joel, however, it's insinuated that they've distanced themselves from the rebel militia group.
However, we have yet to learn what has become of the war, as a final battle takes place at the same time as Ellie's journey to the aquarium to find Abby. This act leads to the tragic deaths of Abby's friends Owen and Mel, and Ellie's friend Jesse.
We can only theorize how closely season 3 will follow The Last of Us Part II. Filming is predicted to begin in April, with many speculating a 2027 release date.
Considering season 2 ended on a dramatic cliffhanger, there is a lot of build-up for a satisfying conclusion to the series. Will audiences sympathize with Abby? Will Pedro Pascal return to play Joel for one final flashback episode? Will Abby and Ellie find peace before further blood is shed?
Hopefully, those questions are answered soon!
Stream the first two seasons ofThe Last of Us on HBO and HBO Max.